The Aftermath
by dramaqueen214
Summary: Updated! When Amy has trouble coping with the loss of her boyfriend, Ephram seems to be the only one who can help her. But she's keeping something from him, and it will change everything. Read and review!
1. Chapter One

A/N: Hi everyone. I've decided to start my 3rd Everwood fanfics after watching the premiere. It was so powerful, and it reminded me why I love the show so much. So, without further ado, here's the story. Please review so I know what you think!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood.  
  
The Aftermath  
  
Chapter One  
  
The one certain thing about life is that it goes on. Even after the greatest of disasters, the toughest of losses, it is human nature to pick up the pieces, and start over again. The people of Everwood were proof of this. Four months after the devastating loss of the very heart and soul of the town, life was slowly returning to normal. Time pressed on as autumn painted its colorful tapestry across the Colorado suburb. As the air grew cooler, the days became shorter, and the leaves transformed, children returned to school, and the summer's carefree lifestyle disappeared. People carried on. They never forgot, of course, but they tried to get used to life without him. This was easier for some than others.  
  
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Ephram Brown groaned as he reached over to shut off his beeping alarm clock. He blinked and noticed the time. 6:15. "It should be illegal to be up this early." He thought to himself as he dragged himself out of bed and down the hall to the bathroom. After a quick shower, he got dressed and poked his head into his younger sister's room to wake her.  
  
"Hey, Deil." He called. "Time to get up."  
  
Delia rolled over and yawned. "Ok." She sat up and rubbed her eyes.  
  
Ephram continued onto the kitchen where he thought he could smell bacon frying. Sure enough, there was Dr. Andy Brown standing at the stove.  
  
"Dad?" Ephram asked, bewildered.  
  
"Good morning, Ephram." Andy cheerfully replied.  
  
"You made breakfast?" Ephram was puzzled.  
  
"Not just any breakfast." Andy responded, clearly proud of himself. "Edible breakfast."  
  
"Well now there's a concept." Ephram remarked, sitting down to a plate of French toast and bacon. "Food you can actually eat." He tentatively took a bite.  
  
"Well?" Andy asked, expectantly.  
  
"Not bad." Ephram replied. Andy smiled.  
  
Delia entered the room, and greeted her family. "What's not bad?" she asked.  
  
"Dad's cooking." Ephram replied.  
  
"You cooked?" Delia asked.  
  
"I sure did." Andy replied. "Here." He handed her a plate. "You look very nice, by the way." He told her, noticing her skirt and blouse.  
  
"Do you like it?" she asked. "Nina helped me pick it out."  
  
"Wow." Ephram commented, glancing at his sister. "You actually match. Since when did you start dressing like a girl."  
  
"I am a girl, dummy." Delia retorted. "And all the other girls in my class are wearing skirts today. We decided yesterday."  
  
"Well I think it's nice that you're making new friends." Andy told Delia.  
  
"Oh yeah!" Delia exclaimed. "I almost forgot. Brittney's mom is going to pick us up from school so I can play at her house, ok Dad?"  
  
"I thought Brittney's mom didn't like dad." Ephram remarked.  
  
"She liked what he said at Colin's assembly." Delia replied. "So now me and Brittney can be friends again."  
  
"Delia, you tell Brittney's mom I'll pick you up right after I close the office." Andy instructed. "Finish your breakfast, the bus will be here soon."  
  
Delia finished her French toast and hopped on the school bus. Shortly thereafter, Andy dropped Ephram off at County High.  
  
Ephram sighed as he walked down the sterile halls to his locker. He'd only been in school two weeks, and already he was bored. This was not a good sign. He had to crack down this year. Junior year is the most important. Ephram rolled his eyes at that thought as he reached his locker. He found it hard to believe that one year of high school could alter his entire future. Still, he had to try hard, he reminded himself, as he pulled books off the shelf. He finished at his locker and walked down the hall to his first period history class. He was distracted by a tall blonde who made her way across the hall towards him.  
  
"Hey Amy." He greeted.  
  
"Hi Ephram." She replied, that ever present hint of sadness in her voice.  
  
"What's up?" he asked her, as they continued down the hall.  
  
"Nothing." Amy replied. She sounded like she had something to say, but she remained silent.  
  
"You ok?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah." Amy replied. "Um, I'm good."  
  
"Ok." Ephram said.  
  
"Uh, I um, I gotta go." She explained. "To English. See you later."  
  
"Bye." Ephram called out. He shook his head and rolled his eyes. This was pretty much how every conversation went for the past two weeks. Amy seemed to be somewhere else, not acknowledging the life she had right now. Ephram attributed it to still grieving, but he wondered how long she could carry on until she finally cracked. He wasn't one to pry, but he hoped she would tell him whatever it was soon.  
  
Ephram arrived at history and took his seat. He took out his notes from the previous day, and looked over them, just in case there was a quiz.  
  
"Well look at you, Mr. Smartie Pants." A female voice remarked, as its owner took her seat behind Ephram.  
  
"Morning Laynie." Ephram replied, spinning around to face her.  
  
"Hey." She remarked. "So which came first, the Stamp Act, or the Boston Tea Party?" she asked.  
  
"Is this supposed to be some philosophical chicken or egg question?" Ephram asked.  
  
"No seriously, which came first? I need to know for the quiz." Laynie replied.  
  
"Well, in that case, the Stamp Act." Ephram explained.  
  
"Ok, got it: stamps then tea." Laynie remarked.  
  
"You know, this is a switch. I'm usually the slacker asking for last minute answers." Ephram pointed out.  
  
"I am not a slacker!" Laynie exclaimed. "I just asked you to clarify."  
  
"Sure." Ephram replied. "So what, did you leave your book in school?"  
  
"No." Laynie replied. "I fell asleep reading it."  
  
Ephram laughed. "I can relate."  
  
"But believe me, it will not happen again." Laynie assured him. "I wouldn't want to live up to my slacker reputation."  
  
Ephram laughed as the teacher entered the room and the bell rang. As predicted, a pop quiz was handed out. Ephram wrote his name at the top and completed the five questions. He flipped his paper over and looked around the classroom. Some people were still working, so he sat there, thinking. His gaze turned absentmindedly to the doorway of the classroom. He heard running feet from down the hallway. As they grew closer, he noticed who they belonged to: a tall blonde girl, who looked as though she had just burst into tears. Ephram immediately recognized her, and raised his hand to ask for the bathroom pass. He ran out of the classroom, and ran after her.  
  
"Amy!" he called.  
  
TBC!  
  
Review! 


	2. Chapter Two

A/N: Hope everyone likes the story so far! Here's an update. Enjoy and review!  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own anything.  
  
The Aftermath  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Ephram ran through the halls, trailing after the sobs of Amy. He turned the corner and saw her run into the girls bathroom.  
  
"Perfect." Ephram remarked, slightly out of breath. He slowed his pace, reached the door and knocked. "Um, I'm coming in here." He announced. "And, I'm a guy." Just to be sure. "I'm not looking though." He shielded his eyes and pushed the door.  
  
"Amy?" he called, eyes still covered.  
  
Ephram heard a slight giggle, followed by the quick breath of someone who had been crying for a while.  
  
"Ephram, its just me." He heard her soft voice remark.  
  
Ephram removed his hand from his eyes and glanced around. Sure enough, Amy was the only other person in the bathroom.  
  
"Hardly anyone comes in this one." Amy explained. "It's always out of toilet paper."  
  
"That's the good thing about boy's rooms. We never have that problem." Ephram joked, trying to relieve the awkwardness. "But, I guess you didn't need to know that." He added, realizing the stupidity of his last comment.  
  
"Probably not." Amy replied. "So, what, do you usually frequent the girls bathroom?"  
  
"Only when I see someone hysterically crying ducking into one." Ephram responded.  
  
"I was not hysterically crying." Amy replied.  
  
"You weren't?" Ephram asked in disbelief.  
  
"No." Amy replied quietly.  
  
"It'd be okay if you were, you know." Ephram offered. "I mean, I understand how hard a time you're still going through."  
  
"I'm fine Ephram." Amy exclaimed defensively. "I just needed to get out of English."  
  
"Ok."  
  
"Stop doing that." Amy ordered.  
  
"Doing what?" Ephram asked.  
  
"Trying to save me." Amy replied. "I don't need a hero, Ephram. I'm sorry about your Mom and everything, but don't assume that just because you've dealt with death that you felt exactly the way I'm feeling right now."  
  
"Amy, I wasn't trying to.."  
  
"Just stop, ok?" She pushed the door and exited the bathroom.  
  
Ephram stood there, trying to decipher exactly what had just happened. He decided he wouldn't be able to, so he left and returned to History.  
  
As he sat down, Laynie leaned forward. "You ok?" she asked, whispering.  
  
"Bad french toast." He replied.  
  
"Overshare." She remarked, disgustedly.  
  
Ephram turned back around. He still couldn't figure out why Amy was acting so hostile. Here was Laynie, who was dealing with losing Colin too. And he was her brother. They'd known each other a lot better than Colin and Amy, right? And Laynie seemed to be just fine. What was wrong with Amy?  
  
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The day progressed, and Ephram soon found himself at lunch, sitting at his usual table, listening to his headphones while eating whatever it was the cafeteria was serving. He had just taken a second bite of what appeared to be some kind of pasta, when he felt a tap on his shoulder.  
  
He removed the headphones and turned around.  
  
"Hey." Bright greeted, sitting beside him.  
  
"Wow." Ephram remarked. "This day keeps getting better and better."  
  
"How's it going?" Bright asked.  
  
"You know Bright, these little lunch time visits are getting freakishly habitual." Ephram remarked. "I'm sick of being your spy. Maybe we should go back to you ignoring me all the time."  
  
"You think I only talk to you to find out about Amy?" Bright remarked, pretending to be hurt.  
  
"Well, I hope you only talk to me to find out about Amy, because otherwise it would appear that you and I are 'buds', and that could change the entire course of history. Lets not mess with history Bright." Ephram replied.  
  
"Oh Ephram, you're such a funny guy. And to prove to you that I'm not just using you as my own CIA agent, I want you to come each lunch at my table." Bright offered.  
  
Ephram turned around and glanced at the table Bright was referring to. After the football incident, Bright's lunchtime companions had been reduced to Amy, Laynie and Page. Now there was a happy bunch.  
  
"Uh, thanks for the offer, but I'll pass." Ephram declined.  
  
"C'mon." Bright urged. He picked up Ephram's tray and set it down across from Amy.  
  
Great, thought Ephram.  
  
Laynie was the first to speak. "Hey Ephram."  
  
"Hey." Ephram replied.  
  
"Feeling better?" she asked.  
  
"Huh?" Ephram asked, forgetting what he had told her earlier. "Oh. Yeah. Thanks."  
  
"What was wrong with you?" Amy asked, entering the conversation.  
  
"Nothing." Ephram replied.  
  
"Well, that nothing sure made you leave history fast." Laynie remarked.  
  
Amy remembered back to this morning when Ephram had followed her into the bathroom. He must have covered for her by telling Laynie he hadn't felt well. She shifted uncomfortably, changing the subject. "So that pop quiz was killer, huh?" she remarked.  
  
"Yeah." Laynie agreed.  
  
"Not as bad as the English test will be." Ephram remarked. "How hard was it Amy?"  
  
Amy was floored. He knew she had skipped English. "It was, um, ok, I guess."  
  
"Oh man, I completely forgot about that." Laynie exclaimed. "What was the essay topic, Amy?"  
  
"You know, I don't really remember." Amy replied. "I've actually got to go to the library to finish my physics homework." She started to get up.  
  
"What about your lunch?" Page asked. "You haven't touched it."  
  
"Oh, I had a really big breakfast." Amy lied, walking away from the table.  
  
"No you didn't." Bright remarked. "Amy!" he called after her, but she was gone.  
  
"That's the 3rd time this week she's left lunch to go do work." Laynie noted.  
  
"She hasn't eaten anything all day." Bright added. "She's gonna like, pass out or something."  
  
"Maybe I should go talk to her." Page offered.  
  
"She won't listen." Laynie replied.  
  
"We've all tried." Bright added. "Even my mom and dad. She won't listen to anyone."  
  
Ephram looked at the people sitting with him. Their faces were worried and tired. He wondered if he should tell them about what had happened that morning, or keep his mouth shut. He decided upon the latter. He suspected his concern was visible though. All four knew that this was all going to come to a head soon, but no one knew how to prevent it.  
  
TBC!  
  
Review! 


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